The Spectator’s View: Council nails LRT, bike-sharing not so much

BIXI

City councillors made a wise move this week in approving the city’s light rail transit proposal to Metrolinx, the province’s transportation agency.

City staffers say the comprehensive pitch to Metrolinx is not only about dramatically improving public transit to solve gridlock issues. Its broader impact will create a healthier community by combating health problems, improving the environment, generating economic growth and promoting social equity.

Given the high price tag attached to the proposal — an estimated $800 million in capital costs alone, plus another $11.6 million to $12.2 million in annual costs — councillors are also wise to push for Metrolinx to cover 100 per cent of the capital investment, as it will do in other cities including Toronto.

LRT is not the magic bullet for Hamilton. No single project is. But LRT has the potential — over the long term — to draw development along its corridor, generating building permit fees, development charges and jobs, as well as bringing new tax assessment.

The staff report clearly lays out the benefits and costs of LRT. More importantly, perhaps, the report is holistic in its approach to the future of getting around our city through a combination of modes — LRT, bus transit, cars, cycling and walking. LRT will not spring up in isolation; a convenient, seamless and easy system is what will make the most difference to Hamilton’s future civic health.

Our councillors have previously demonstrated that they are not automatically risk-averse, for example through the privatization of HECFI’s operations. So it’s worrisome to see some councillors looking for future escape hatches in the LRT file, particularly given that Mayor Bob Bratina has clearly indicated he will not champion the project at the provincial level. It is a good sign, though, that the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce has created an LRT advocacy task force, which includes Bratina and councillors Brian McHattie, Jason Farr and Lloyd Ferguson as council representatives. In the absence of a strong push from the mayor’s office, this task force is well-placed to take the leadership role and pursue LRT vigorously.

Whether it was the stress of an all-day meeting or simply information overload, councillors also made a head-scratching move by referring back to staff a proposed bike-sharing program. Yes, we need answers about vandalism and liability concerns, given similar programs operate successfully in some 200 communities. But even in the absence of that information, the bike-sharing program seems a no-brainer. It would not cost the city anything — the capital costs would be covered by Metrolinx, the program would be operated privately and funded by users.

Hamilton needs to stay on the LRT, and bike-sharing, train as far as Metrolinx funding will take us.